Misunderstood
by blue-eyed claudia
Summary: After the fiasco with Dorothy, everything in Oz goes topsyturvy. Elphaba returns with a vengence and the others are reintroduced.
1. All Dried Up

**Misunderstood**

Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of the characters involved with it, with the exception of the ones that I create.

**Chapter 1: All Dried Up**

It had been three days since the so called Wicked Witch of the West had been murdered by Dorothy. A gruesome puddle remained where no sunlight shone, the remains of the Witch. Elphaba's family mourned for her. A boy she had watched over and her old nanny were the last people left. The nanny couldn't stand staying in the stronghold any longer. Too many memories were left over….she couldn't think of anything else to do but tidy up the "house". Walking along, dusting what ever she could find, she worked tirelessly. Finally, she came to the room where the remains were. She started to tear up, despite her best efforts. _Elphie…gone forever now._ She tried not to look at the puddle too much as she went about her business in the room. _Both sisters lost within a short amount of time. One after the other. Fate is surely a fickle thing to be dealt with. _She smiled bitterly. One window remained in the room. It was closed. _Such a sad place. For the boy I mean. Though he often complained, he loved her dearly. I'll just open this window…let in a bit of fresh air_…she crossed the room, careful no to step on the gruesome looking remains. She tried the window once: it was stuck. She tried it again, still getting the same result. A third time she tried, and this time the window came popping open, sunlight filling and warming the dark, dank room. "There. That's much better now." She turned to walk out but as she came closer to the doorway, she heard a hissing coming from behind her. "What in the name of-" She dropped the rag and mop that was being carried.

The sunlight had shone on what used to be the Witch. As it had done so, the puddle began steaming, hissing. As more light hit it, it began to boil. The nanny backed away horrified, speechless. Her face was frozen in a mask of fear. Finally, light shone on the whole of the puddle. It began to squirm, to take shape. It rose in a column of green, and the black cloak by it rose to surround it. It began to spin, like the twister that had brought Dorothy into Oz in the first place. Faster and faster and faster, until suddenly, it stopped. An eerie silence descended upon the room. A shape began to take shape underneath the cloak, the shape of a person. The being lifted its arms, looking at its hands, which were greener than the emeralds rumored to make up the Emerald City. It ran its hands over where its face would have been, and a gasp emerged. Slowly, it turned around to face the nanny. The poor old woman tried to run away, but couldn't. Her legs wouldn't move. The figure faced her, and the hood dropped, revealing the likeness of a green person. "Nanny?"

The Wicked Witch was back.


	2. Lurline, Yackle, and the Unnamed God

**Misunderstood**

Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of the characters involved with it, with the exception of the ones that I create.

**Chapter 2: Lurline, Yackle, and the Unnamed God**

"Nanny?" The Wicked Witch was back. The old woman collapsed, dropping everything that she was carrying. The woman rushed over and picked her up carefully. Carrying her to the old woman's living quarters, Elphaba had no time to puzzle over the fact that she had returned from the dead. She laid her gently on the bed, and called out for the monkey. "Chistery?" She waited a few minutes and still got no response from the animal. _That's strange. Usually he would at least answer in some way. I'll just have to find another way to get help._ "Liir! Liir please answer me. Come quickly!" She looked back at Nanny lying on the bed. She didn't like the way that she looked. The pigment of her skin was turning a pasty, very pale color. _I'll just have to get things done myself. _Very quickly, she moved across the room and sat next to the old woman on the bed. "Nanny, Nanny please wake up. Please Nanny." She waved her hand above her face, trying to give the woman some much needed air. The woman's color started to change, and it started to get closer to normal. The Witch breathed a sigh of relief. Although her pigment looked more normal, the old woman hadn't woken up quite yet. Suddenly, Elphaba heard a commotion from downstairs. "Nanny I'm home!" The Witch got up and hurried over to the staircase and looked down, confirming her suspicions that Liir had indeed returned. "Liir!" The boy looked up at her and instantly grew pale. "You…you're back. But you were dead…" Elphie held back a grin despite herself; _he was always so easily excitable. Even as a young boy_. "We'll discuss that later. For now just hurry and get Nanny some water. Don't ask just go." The boy hurried off and she returned to the room.

Nanny had woken up and was sitting up, rubbing her temples. She was talking to herself, very confused and somewhat alarmed. "What a strange dream. The very thought of anyone being able to come back, especially Elphaba. I guess that old age will do that to you." As she looked up, a person had just entered the room and turned around. "Good, you've woken up. Liir is getting you some water, it won't be long now." The old woman stared in disbelief at the person approaching her. "Elphaba, you aren't dead anymore…it wasn't a dream." She held her head in both of her hands, reeling from the shock. "Yes I'm back. Please, please don't pass out again. You scared me enough the first time." The Witch came over and knelt down next to her. Nanny looked over at her, still shocked. "Elphie…" leaned over, and took her in her arms. Almost immediately, she somewhat stiffened up. The former nanny let her go, smiling. "You haven't changed a bit, have you? How did you get back?" Her past charge smiled back at her. "I'm actually not quite sure how I got back. One second it was dark, and the next…I was in the room with you." Her face slightly fell, and she seemed to slightly withdraw into herself. "Dear what's-" Liir came stumbling into the room. "Here Nanny I got the water as quickly as I could." In his effort to move quickly, water had sloshed out of the bucket, spilling around him. The Witch leapt out of the way. "You idiot of a boy! You know that I can't stand water and yet you nearly spill it on me! Have you learned nothing from…" Her fervor suddenly left her, and she was left standing quietly. "Just…give her some water. She passed out and I think that she's in need of some." Nanny took the water hesitantly, looking slightly fearful of what would happen next. Liir hung his head embarrassed and mumbled "Sorry Auntie Witch." Elphaba continued to look on from the corner of the room, guarded. Once the nanny had finished the water, the boy took the pitcher and the cup and hurried out of the room. The Witch continued to maintain her distance. "Elphie, what has come over you?" Nanny seemed genuinely concerned for the woman. Sighing, she crossed the room and hesitated at the doorway. "Get some rest. You've had a hard day this far. I'll see you later tonight." With that, she left the room.

Walking back to her room was like walking a walk of shame. She usually knew how to control her temper, but she had let it out of its cage. Entering her room, she saw that in her despair, Nanny had cleaned the crows' perch and the rest of the webs and squalor that had covered the room. She walked over to the window and she looked out of it. _What has come over me…I never used to act this way before. Sure I was guarded, but I hadn't exploded like that in years... _she walked over to her bed and sunk down into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Later on in the night, she was talking to Nanny about the ordeal. Nanny had many, many questions, but most of the time Elphaba was hard pressed for many answers that she could not recall or had either repressed. These droned on and on into the night until both were too tired to continue. Still, one question had not been asked, and the Witch knew that it was the last. As she bid goodnight to her friend, she was asked the last question. "Elphie? What was it like? Did you see Lurline? What about the Unnamed God that your father was so convinced existed? Yackle? Did your soul soar…?" Nanny looked with the utmost curiosity and eagerness into the green face. Elphaba's face grew sorrowful. "Nanny…I'm so sorry but…I never saw Lurline or had the slightest inkling of her. The Unnamed God did not make his name or his presence known. And Yackle…I'm afraid she's just a myth." The Witch started to tear up, both out of anger and sorrow. "And your soul, Elphie? What of your soul?" Nanny still had some faith and hope left within her searching gaze. The green face started to burn as unwanted tears started to flow, "My soul? Nanny…I have no soul…all was dark and unwelcoming. I was an unwanted, unwelcome presence floating through empty space." She got up, turned away slightly hunched over, and left.


	3. Good Witch Bad Witch

**Misunderstood**

A.N.: Thank you so much for the reviews! They are indeed very helpful in my writing. If any of you thought that I had made a mistake in the last chapter name, I appreciate you being courteous enough to point it out, but it actually ties into my story ;) Enjoy! And sorry for the Witch of the East thing. Typo.

Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of the characters involved with it, with the exception of the ones that I create.

**Chapter 3: Good Witch Bad Witch**

Nearly a month had passed since Elphaba had returned from the dead. Things had begun to return as they were before, with her diligently studying her books and experimenting on more animals like Chistery. Nanny had easily recovered from her slight hysteria and from her fainting spell. Liir had begun to tag along near Elphie, just like when he was a little boy. But, things are not always as they seem…since she had come back, some strange occurrences had been witnessed by the residents of Kiamo Ko. As she had been improperly named the Wicked Witch of the West, nothing really out of the ordinary (in her terms) had been seen out of her before her death. However, as of late, she had noticed that her temper was the cause of some odd happenings. For instance: if one day she was in a particularly bad mood, a large storm would brew. This was no ordinary storm though. The thunder shook the stronghold and the lightening temporarily blinded everyone, but not once did a single drop of rain fall. Other times, if she found herself wishing that she had something, a trivial object, she would find that it would appear at the moment it was needed, which was very weird indeed. No one questioned why these things were happening, but she knew that it was on their minds. Even if they had asked, she couldn't have given them a viable or believable answer. These questions would have to be thought about and figured out later. Right now, there were more important things to attend to.

Although she was…content with her present settings, she found herself itching to get back on the political scene. She had not fully completed the task that was given to her before she had left to Kiamo Ko. Although she did succeed in, um, ruining Madame Morrible's corpse, she had not finished painting the big picture. She could use to her advantage the fact that nearly everyone thought that she was dead and gone, but it could also be a curse. If the Wizard (or whoever was in his place now; she wasn't fully up to date on these things) found out her existence, she would be in a tight place. On the other hand, she also wanted to talk to someone that she knew would keep quiet. Being around an old nanny and a young, awkward boy a person didn't really get much of a chance to actually have some intellectually stirring conversation. Going back to the Emerald City would be extremely risky, as well as very painful. The thoughts and memories of Fiyero had not left her in the least. _Fiyero…no, I have _to_ get over thinking of him so incessantly. Sarima and her sisters are gone now (Sarima not even letting me even start my confession and apology, the stubborn woman) so no reminder of him should remain…_she knew that this was an extremely foolish statement, as she was living in** the very house that he and his family had lived in for so long**. She had to get away, and soon.

Glinda of the Arduenna Clan was sitting in her late husband's large mansion and thinking about the days that she spent at Shiz University. She chuckled when remembering insistent Boq. _Dear old Boq, he never took no for an answer. Even when I purposefully avoided him, he found someway every single time to get to me. Or at least around me. If it hadn't been for dear Elphie, I would have never even considered getting to know him._ She frowned slightly. Now there was a subject that she had not thought about for a while. Not since the widely proclaimed murder of the Witch. _Oh, I wish that we had left each other on better terms. That last tussle was horrible. I should have gone after her rather than just call out to her! And now she's dead! Would I that I had one more chance at reconciliation…_she got up from her recliner and began to walk aimlessly around the house.

The news of Elphaba's death had hit her tremendously hard. She had lost her husband, Sir Chuffrey, a mere few days before the news had reached the Emerald City. The death of her best friend had been nearly too much to comprehend. She had known and enjoyed Elphaba's company since their days at Shiz. Although they did not get along at first, they soon became close friends. In the period after she had left Glinda in the Emerald City all alone, she had been feeling quite angry and empty. She could not put into words the feeling that a part of her was missing, that she was incomplete in some odd way. During their last and final encounter, Glinda had felt whole and happy, like she hadn't in years. The brief meeting had been good (in the very beginning), but at the very end of it, she had found that she was being pushed away, like she wasn't wanted. Elphaba had confirmed that when she continued on her way, never turning back. Tears sprang to her eyes. If she was feeling this way, it was hard to imagine the way that the rest of Elphie's family was feeling. A great idea suddenly hit. Starting tomorrow, she would make the long journey (with the help of her magic to make it much faster) to Kiamo Ko, where she supposed that the rest of her friend's family remained, and visit them to help get some of the abounding grief out of the way.

Glinda quickly hurried to pack, careful not to bring anything too elaborate or fabulous, which was very hard for her. _I wonder what it will be like seeing them. I wonder if her old nanny is still around. At least I'll be sure to know one person, if that is the case. _She grinned. _Even though this is going to be a most bittersweet reunion, I can hardly wait for it! I'll finally get some sort of closure, some sense of it._ She grabbed what she called her "commoners" clothing and threw it into the carpet bag. _I wish tomorrow would come sooner…_her head snapped up as she had another great idea. She packed the rest of her clothing and hurried to get the necessary food and water. It only took her a few more moments before she was ready to set off. "Kiamo Ko, here I come!" She walked out of the front door into the courtyard, and vanished.

Elphaba had begun to prepare for her departure. But one thing had puzzled her, since the night that she and Nanny had shared that highly spiritual talk. Nanny had mentioned Yackle rather than the Kumbric Witch. She hadn't realized it at first, but nonetheless it was somewhat annoying to her now. _Nanny is very old now. She probably meant to say the other rather than Yackle._ A persistent feeling told her that this was not the case. _Who really knows? I will just have to pay a visit to Yackle once I arrive._ She went off in search of her broom. She looked up and down, all over the castle, inside and out. It was nowhere to be found. Then, her memory came crashing back to her. _That girl! Oh how I hate her! The thing that I need to make the way faster and she took it from me! First she comes here under the pretense that she is going to murder me and has her friends come with her. Then as I'm trying to undo the whole situation, she corners me and apologizes for killing Nessa?! _ A storm started to brew. _That little…_her anger was flaring dangerously high. Already she could hear the distant thunder and could see the first bright flashes of lightening. _I need my broom._ As soon as she had thought that, she heard a small thud on the ground. _What now? _She was completely thrown off. Her broom had materialized and was leaning against the wall. "Oh my…" The broom quivered and came slowly across the room to her. There was no mistaking it. This was the broom that Dorothy had taken from her to the Emerald City.

There was too much to pack! She needed her books, documents, Chistery (who was nowhere to be found once again), far too many things to mention. The storm was also coming nearer and rearing its ugly head. _I hate today._ Lightening flashed, and thunder boomed. _Even if I was all ready and packed, there is no way in Oz that I would be traveling in this storm. It would be suicide!_ Elphaba decided to take a much needed break, and went downstairs to the entry hall. She sunk down in her favorite chair in front of the fireplace, drinking in and savoring the luscious warmth. Her eyes became droopy, and she dozed off…

She was back at Shiz. Boq was there, pesky as ever. He was asking her if she could set her up with Galinda. "I'm not sure if I could convince her to come out of Shiz with me, Boq. I know that she really doesn't like me very much at all, and wishes even less to be seen with me in public." He looked desperate. He was starting to break out in a sweat in his effort to meet up with Galinda. "Elphie, may I call you Elphie? Please just try once. I'll forever be in your debt." He bowed his head. It looked absolutely pathetic. She rolled her eyes. "Don't call me Elphie again…but…I will consider trying to get her to come out. For my sake, so you won't pester me again." A loud banging suddenly entered her dream. She shook herself, and was fully awake. _It must have just been the dream_. She stretched, but heard it again. _That's strange. No one ever comes up this way._ She walked over to the door, and the banging continued.

As she got there, a voice was to be heard. It was drowned out by the thunder and the wind, but it sounded feminine. _Why in the world would a woman be coming up to these remote parts? Of course, I could be mistaken. It could be a small, less than masculine man. _She couldn't blow her cover just yet, though. Luckily, Liir was just coming down the stairs. "Do me a favor, will you? Go and open the door for me." Liir was disgruntled, and complained quite a bit in the process, but he obliged anyway. She was just turning around as he opened the door and let the person in. Judging from the way that he responded in speaking to them, it was indeed a girl. "I'm so sorry for barging in like this, but this is Kiamo Ko, is it not?" Elphaba recognized that voice. She froze in her steps. "I am looking for an old woman named Nanny. Does she live here? I come trying to make peace with her family. Her former charge was a very dear friend of mine." The Wicked Witch tried to move once again, but her legs would not obey her. She heard footsteps behind her. _No it can't be. _"Excuse me, do you know where Nanny is? I really do need to find her." _Don't you dare answer Elphaba. Don't you dare. This isn't the time or the place for this.. Just walk away. Plain and simple. Just walk away._ "Miss?" The footsteps ensued again, and came in front of her. "I'm looking for…oh Lurline." The Wicked Witch of the West and The Good Witch of the South were face to face.


	4. An Inside Source

**Misunderstood**

Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of the characters involved with it, with the exception of the ones that I create.

**Chapter 4: An Inside Source**

Glinda was reeling. She could not believe the sight before her. After all, she had seen the broom when Dorothy had brought it back to the Emerald City. She knew that that broom meant so much to Elphie, even if she didn't say it. She knew that her friend wouldn't part with it for the world. Seeing her in the flesh made her completely speechless. Her feelings were all over the board, ranging from rage to extreme happiness and relief. Elphie just stood there, looking slightly scared and very guilty. _Elphaba is standing right in front of me. She should be dead. I know she should, and yet here she is in front of me._ Glinda's face suddenly flushed. _She didn't have the decency to tell me or anyone else for that matter. That girl…_ Glinda strode right up to her. "Hello Elphie. How have you been? Well, according to the reports all throughout Oz, you should be dead!" Elphaba blushed a very dark shade of green and tried to look away. "Don't you dare look away from me!" Glinda flew into an all out rage. She came right up in her face (as much as she could) and looked up at her angrily. "What in the name of Lurline is wrong with you! First you completely leave me hanging when I'm calling after you, and then you are supposedly killed by that farm girl without us making up? And now this little charade?!" She slapped Elphaba hard across the face. Now it was Elphie's turn to reel. Glinda had never ever laid a finger on her with mal intent. She had always thought of the blonde as an excitable but somewhat reserved kind of person. She took a few steps back, but in moments Glinda was back in her face. "You weren't expecting that were you, Miss Elphaba? I'm not as predictable as you think, you know. I may have been at Shiz, and before you died, but that was then and this is now!"

Just as suddenly as she had flown at her, Glinda turned away and started bawling. Through her sobbing, she said "Why didn't you tell me? My entire world fell apart! First we had that fight, and then you didn't give me the chance to apologize. Then I hear that you've been killed! Elphaba, you have no idea what your antics have done to me!" Her breaths turned very ragged, and she turned back to the Wicked Witch, tears streaming down her face and staining her clothing. She came back over and hugged the taller woman tightly. "Elphie, I've missed you so much!"

Elphaba was shocked by everything. She had thought that when she had left Glinda the last time that that was the end to their friendship. Boy, was she ever wrong. She had thought of maybe going back to see the blonde, but had still been conflicted over it. Well, there was no time left to muddle over it. She hesitantly hugged her friend back. _I never thought that the news would impact Glinda so much. I mean, we were- are best friends but we had gotten into that huge fight._ She spoke into her friend's ear, and hugged her more tightly. "Glin I'm so sorry. I should have turned back when you called me, but I was afraid of what the outcome would be. But how could I have told you that I had died? After all, I was gone already." She smiled, trying to cheer up her best friend with a bit of humor. Glinda continued holding on tightly, without speaking. "Glin, please look at me. Please." Reluctantly, the shorter woman looked up, with mixed emotions flying across her eyes and face. "I couldn't have told you. Not yet anyway. What if I had, and then the government had found out? They would have come after me to get rid of me again. We don't want that do we?" Glinda nodded her head. Elphaba mused. _She looks like when we were going to Shiz: so small and vulnerable. _She grinned and reassuringly rubbed her friend's back. "Well we can't stay in this cold entryway, can we? Come now, let's go into the kitchen. I'll whip something up and we can talk."

While Elphaba was making some tea for them, Glinda suddenly decided to become very talkative. "What happened Elphie? Are you ok now? Sorry that was a stupid question. Is everything back to normal? Do you know how much I've missed you? What are you going to do now? Oh my goodness, you should come back with me to my mansion! We would have so much fun and- oh what a shame you can't come yet can you? Why don't I stay with you here?! That's a marvelous idea! I'll-" The dark haired woman laughed. "Glinda! We have all the time we need to talk. No need to let it all out now." Glinda blushed slightly and chuckled. "Sorry about that. It's just…I have so many questions that I need to get out of the way!" Elphaba brought the tea over and sat down. "All in due time, all in due time." She gave the tea to her friend, who immediately downed it. Elphie laughed again. "That is not the Glinda that I know!" The blonde had a wry smile on her face. She looked down into her cup, "I've changed since we last spoke, Elphie." Then they both launched into a vivacious discussion.

Hours later, they were still talking. "Elphie, I really do think that I should stay around you for the time being. I mean, we're both sorceresses (to some extent), and you could really use my help if something unexpected were to arise." Elphaba shook her head once again. "Glinda, we've already gone over this. I can't risk being found out by you suddenly disappearing from society altogether!" Her friend pressed again, harder. "It could work to both of our advantages, though. Sir Chuffrey just passed on, and it would look perfectly normal for me to retreat into seclusion for a while. I should be a grieving widow." Her blue eyes glimmered with hope. Elphaba didn't hesitate in saying no once again. She explained how it would be too dangerous for both of them, but Glinda wouldn't listen. "Elphie, can't I at least help you in someway? Please? I hate feeling helpless, and you know it." She pouted her best. "Glin…" _I can't put her in danger. I already put Fiyero in danger, and look how that turned out…although…_the green person sat up straighter. "You know, there is one way in which you can help…"

A week later, Glinda was set to leave. She hugged her friend tightly and bid her goodbye. Hugging her, the blonde said, "I'll be sure to keep my ears and eyes open. I'll never be suspected, don't worry." Elphaba didn't want to see her go, but she knew that it was necessary. Besides, they would see one another again soon. "Please stay safe Glin. If anything even the slightest bit dangerous happens, discontinue what we came up. Please. I couldn't stand seeing you lost." Glinda gently put one of her hands on Elphaba's cheek. "I'll be fine. I'll see you soon." They parted, and Glinda sent a silent prayer up to Lurline. _Dear Lurline, keep me and Elphie safe. We need all the help that we can get_, and she disappeared into thin air. The plan was in effect, and both Witches knew that they were past the point of no return.

A.N.: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm planning it so that the next chapter will be a bit longer.


	5. And so it begins

**Misunderstood**

Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of the characters involved with it, with the exception of the ones that I create.

**Chapter 5: And so it begins…**

Glinda soon reappeared back at her mansion. The trip had turned out much better than she had planned! Instead of sharing mutual grief over the death of Elphaba, it turned out that Elphie had actually come back to life! Oh, it had been so exhilarating to see her again. They had even come up with a plan to ensure that her dear friend would never be in life threatening danger ever again. Or so they hoped. _This plan has to be sure fire. Two of the best students to attend Shiz did come up with it after all._ Glinda giggled and made her way across the courtyard. It seemed as though she were still on a high from the unexpected encounter at Kiamo Ko. _I hope that I continue to remain this way, without having to put on some kind of act. I never really was all that good at acting…_she bid hello to her servants and the rest of the staff. _If this feeling should stay, it will make carrying out the plan much simpler._ She walked into the entryway, and was immediately met with her assistant, Shenshen. "Hello there Shen! I hope I wasn't missed too terribly during my brief absence." Shenshen merely smiled and curtsied. "Hello Glinda. Everything went fine while you were away. However, you are expected to make an appearance at the unveiling of the Shiz memorial today. I had told the coordinating committee that you were out of town on an unexpected trip, but do you think that you can still make it? A surprise appearance at a large event would be exactly what is needed to boost you back into the lap of high society." At this statement, Glinda grinned widely. "Well of course I can make it today. I'll go and choose my gown now." _You still haven't changed, have you Shenshen? Still obsessing over how you can be more liked and popular. Just like the days at the university. What a shame._

The Good Witch began to rummage through her huge wardrobe. In order to have a successful and immensely fruitful appearance, one needed the right gown. She was having trouble deciding between a light blue gown covered in extremely rare diamonds and a light pink gown accented with opals on the collar. The blue one was indeed stunning, but she didn't exactly want to blind the attendees! Finally she settled on the pink gown. Once she got it on, she settled down at her vanity to fix her hair and makeup. She looked in the mirror and was hit with a sudden realization. Although she looked the same, she was no longer the same person as before. Now she was more daring, more willing to take any kind of risk. Before, she had been comfortable in her sheltered life. Now that Elphaba was back in her life, she had no doubts that she would continue to change even more. Instead of caking on the makeup, this time she only accented her eyes, cheeks and lips. Looking in the mirror, she looked much better than when she caked on the makeup. Even though she was changing rapidly, she kept her hair the same. Finally, she was ready to go. "Shenshen, get the carriage ready. I'll be down soon." She slipped on her crystal slippers and left the room.

The carriage was ready and waiting. It was one of her finest, which made her very happy with her assistant. She got in, being careful not to dirty the dress, and they set off. While Shenshen was rattling off the list of things that needed and were expected to be done at the opening of the memorial, Glinda was busy concentrating on the plan that she and Elphie had devised. _In order for us to even have the smallest chance in succeeding, I have to get along with the new administration. I need to be the best Galinda that I can muster up. I'll flounce all that I can. _Glinda shivered at the thought. She hated the government of Oz. She hated that they had relentlessly persecuted Elphaba and that they had ultimately been the cause of her death. Becoming friendly with them was the last thing that she would do, were the circumstances different. But, Elphie needed her and she would make whatever sacrifices necessary to help her friend out. _I should have a goal set in mind before I enter this. I need to get at least one thing done while I'm here. _The carriage ambled on, and Shenshen still hadn't shut up. They arrived, and as they did, Glinda knew exactly what she would do in order to entice them.

A grand stage had been set up. Behind the stage, there was a humongous white curtain blocking the view of the new memorial. The ceremony had already started. The new curator of the memorial was giving a commentary on how much patience, love, and effort had been put into building the glorious establishment. The guests of honor were sitting on both sides of the stage, waiting for their turns to give speeches on what great experiences that they had had while attending Shiz. As Glinda walked in, a moment of silence was being held for Madame Morrible. After it ended, the first speaker came up to the podium. It was Avaric. He talked on and on about how much fun he had at Briscoe Hall with the boys his age. He talked about how on the weekends, how they would go out to pubs and out to the Philosophy Club, only to "miss" Shiz and return to it quickly. His speech was very redundant, and when he finished speaking, the audience cheered out of relief that he was done. The speeches continued on and on. Shenshen waited until the right time (right after the last speech had been given) to tell the committee that Glinda the Good had arrived. The curator came up to the podium once more and announced, "Before we unveil the Shiz University Memorial, we have a surprise in store. It turns out that one of the most famous students to ever attend Shiz is in fact here." At this the audience became engaged and murmured excitedly. "May I present….Glinda the Good!" and he gestured to her. The audience erupted in cheers and applause. The noise was so loud, it was a complete roar. Glinda gracefully nodded to the people, and they quieted down. She cleared her voice and smiled, "Fellow Ozians. Let us rejoice that such an important place in the lives of many citizens is being commemorated today! It is here that I learned everything that I know today, and made many lifelong friendships." More applause and cheering. She waved her hand to calm them. "And so, without further ado, I give you…the Shiz University Memorial!" The white curtain fell, and a glorious building made up of pure emerald was revealed. The audience as well as the guests was in awe. "Follow me everyone!" and the curator set off.

Before the leaders of Oz could go on the grand tour, Glinda cornered them. The Tinman and the Scarecrow were pleased to see her. "Glinda, how nice it is to see you again! We are so sorry to hear about your husband. Our prayers to the Unnamed God are with you." She smiled and curtseyed. "Thank you. I am so glad to see that you are both doing so well after your victory over the Wicked Witch! I'm sorry that I couldn't attend of the celebrations that were held initially. I had some unfinished business that needed to be taken attended to after my husband's funeral." The Tinman smiled. "Dear Glinda, we understand completely. Most of the celebration was for Dorothy though…" he said with a bit of jealousy tinting his voice. The Scarecrow tried to make up where his friend had faulted "Of course, most of what happened up at Kiamo Ko was due to her. She deserved it." This was her last glimmer of opportunity for the night. If Glinda didn't take advantage of it now, she had lost. "Oh really? Seeing as you both didn't have quite the celebration you deserved, why don't you come over to my mansion? I'll throw a grand banquet, and you two will be the guests of honor." She smiled her toothiest Galinda smile. Both men were elated. "That sounds absolutely wonderful. When should we be expected?" They both looked eagerly at her. _It's working, yes!_ "I'll be expecting you tomorrow night, around eight o' clock or so." The men thanked her and bid her farewell, walking off to tour the memorial.

_And so it begins Elphie. Phase one of our plan is complete. _Glinda headed back to the awaiting carriage, recounting the events of the day. She and Shenshen had a peaceful ride back home. Once she got back, she began with preparation for the coming night's festivities. She ordered the chefs to make the best food that they possibly could, no matter how much it cost. She had her decorators go out and look for the finest materials to be set up around and outside the mansion. Glinda ordered her assistant to draw up a guest list with only the most prestigious people, and to get on inviting them. Once she was done with beginning the preparations, she retired to her room. _I am absolutely exhausted. Getting a banquet ready is no easy feat. Not by a long shot. _She pulled on her nightgown and lay down in bed. _Today went fairly well. _She sighed and turned over, contented. _If everything goes according to plan tomorrow, I will have the administration in the palm of my hand. Tomorrow…_and with that, she drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

A.N.: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I worked very hard on it. The next one should be up within several days. Thanks for all the reviews this far. I know I sound redundant, but I really look forward to them. The input is absolutely wonderful. Thanks especially to gatermage!


	6. Served on a Silver Platter

**Misunderstood**

Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of the characters involved with it, with the exception of the ones that I create.

**Chapter 6: Served on a Silver Platter**

The next morning, Glinda woke up refreshed and very well rested. She yawned and stretched, not quite ready to get out of bed yet. She lay there very content, and wanted to go back to sleep. _Mmm…I'm so comfortable. I should just go back to sleep for a few hours. The banquet can wait…_her eyes suddenly shot open. _Oh Lurline, the banquet! _She got out of bed and she quickly pulled on a robe. She went running out of her room, and nearly went falling down the stairs leading to the grand foyer. "Shenshen! Shenshen where are you?" She went running into the kitchen to get a quick snack, and it turned out that Shenshen was coming out of there as well. "Oh thank goodness that I found you. How is the banquet going? Have any of the VIP's responded? What's going on with everything?" Shenshen got her clipboard, and handed it to her friend. Glinda quickly scanned over the board, pleased with the results. "Oh, this is absolutely fantastic! Everything is going exactly the way it's supposed to. Ok this is what I need you to do now. I know that they have already R.S.V.P.'d, but send out some very elaborate invitations giving all the details." Her assistant nodded her head and she went off to carry out the deed. Glinda grabbed a croissant and went ambling out of the room.

She soon met up with the decorators and approved all of the materials and cost of everything. The blonde went back to the kitchen and made sure that the chefs had everything that they needed and also approved the menu for the evening. Finally, she set about planning her own special event for the night. Getting one of her carriages ready, Glinda went out into town.

Once she was in town, she went to Yackle's shop to get the ingredients that were needed for the spells she was going to brew up for the Tinman and the Scarecrow. She walked into the old, rank shop. Dead frogs were in jars, eyeballs were floating in some sort of liquid, and bones were hanging all around the shop. Although the shop looked small from the outside, the Good Witch soon reaffirmed that appearances can be deceiving. She looked all through the shop, sometimes getting lost in the mazes of the aisles. Finally she decided to look for what was needed rather than waiting for the old woman to appear. She went up and down the aisles, looking back and forth for the materials in the semidarkness of the place. But, nothing was to be found. As soon as she started to get worried, she heard a rustling from somewhere in the store. The blonde looked around, but couldn't find the source. Once she turned back to the particular shelf that she was looking at, a voice came from her left. "Looking for something, my dear?" Glinda jumped slightly and looked to her left to see that the old woman had materialized at her elbow. Trying to recover from her brief surprise she managed to stutter out, "Yes, actually I'm looking for the essence of-" Yackle started to walk off. "Yes, I know: the essence of society itself." Glinda was surprised again for the second time within a matter of moments.

The old woman went a few aisles over and she picked up a small purple pouch. "There you are. Be very careful with that. Essence is especially hard to collect these days, what with all the different laws that the Wizard has put into effect. It's very rare now." Yackle made sure that she made eye contact with Glinda on this statement. Glinda was bewildered by the woman's stare. Something about it was different, not altogether made of the world that was known. "Anything else?" Glinda shook herself out of the sort of hypnosis that she had fallen under. "One more thing actually; I need…" Once again, the woman had sauntered off in the maze of the store. She went up and down several very long and dusty aisles, to stop, crouch, and pick up an even smaller container. It was about the size of a teacup, and it looked like an egg. "There you are: one dose of philosophical intellect. It will make the receiver more open to all sorts of knowledge and also increase their memory." Glinda thankfully took the ingredients, and walked over to the register. "How much will this be all together?" Yackle smiled, and shook her head. "Free of charge, Glinda the Good. I only ask one thing of you." The old woman's eyes began to twinkle mischievously. "Tell your maunt friend, that I say hello and wish her endeavors the best of luck." Glinda was completely dumbfounded. _She knows. _Fear came into her blue eyes, clouding them completely. There was nothing she could say to counter anything that had already been said. She forced a smile, took her items, and left the store, feeling the eyes of Yackle follow her out the door.

Instead of pondering over the weird occurrence that had just taken place, Glinda hailed down her ride, and went back to the mansion. _No time to be thinking on that now. Yackle won't say anything. Not judging by what she said to me. Just concentrate on tonight and the festivities right now. That takes top priority. _It was midday by the time she got home. She collected all that she needed, and went to find out how everything was progressing. She checked in again with her "banquet" committee, and found that nearly everything was ready. The decorations were looking stunning, and the food smelled so wonderful. The invitations had been printed and sent out. Now all that was needed was a dazzling gown for the evening.

She went upstairs to her personal salon, and picked up the blue dress that she had not worn the day before. It would go well with the festivities. She made her hair have the perfect curl and texture, careful not to over do it. She put on some very light make up, focusing on her eyes and cheeks. Once she was done, she sat back and took a good long look. Gone was the Glinda she now knew. This was the Galinda from the days at Shiz, looking her best for only the best. Satisfied, she looked at the time. It was five minutes until six. She heard the guests beginning to arrive and so she waited to make her grand entrance.

Once the Scarecrow and the Tinman made their entrance (they were the last guests to arrive), Glinda decided to make hers. Coming out of her salon, Shenshen was alerted to notify the narrator. He nodded, "Attention, attention. May I introduce, Glinda of the Arduenna Clan. Wife of Sir Chuffrey, and properly named Glinda the Good, Witch of the South." She stepped onto the grand staircase and smiled her best smile. Applause and cheers erupted, and both the Tinman and Scarecrow came to the bottom of the staircase to escort her to the banquet table. As they pulled out her chair and she sat down, the narrator said "Let the feast begin!" Everyone else sat down and the chefs brought out the first course. The administration sat down on either side of her. The Tinman smiled and thanked her profusely for all the work and effort that had been put into the elaborate celebration. She graciously thanked him and also congratulated him and told him to enjoy the night. The Scarecrow also leaned over and expressed the same sentiments, before indulging himself in the soup that had been served.

Near the end of the third course, Glinda stood up at the head of the table and made a motion for silence. All eyes were on her now, and she knew that this was her chance to impress beyond what anyone had thought. "We are all here tonight to commemorate the grand triumph of these two men" she motioned to the Scarecrow and the Tinman "over the Wicked Witch of the West, who had her evil grasp over all of Oz for so very long." She paused for applause and then continued on. "When they had returned to the Emerald City, they gave our wonderful Wizard a token to show that they had truly overcome her: the Witch's enchanted broom." Applause echoed throughout the room, with a few sparse cheers. "In return, the Wizard granted them two gifts they had wanted for as long as they could remember. To the Scarecrow, he was given brains. To the Tinman, he was given a heart. Although both were great individuals before, these gifts made them all the more wonderful people." There was an agreed murmur all throughout the room. "These gifts are wonderful, and they are also thoughtful. However, these are also synthetic. I feel that they have not quite reached their full potential. And so, I have gotten gifts to bestow upon them tonight." Silence throughout the room. She pulled out the first gift. "To the Tinman, I give you a real heart, one of your own." She opened the small pouch that the essence of society was in, poured it into her hand, and blew it over the Tinman. Bright pink light illuminated the room and the audience was stunned. The Tinman looked the same, but as he felt his wrist and chest, he could feel a real pulse. "I have a pulse! Not just a ticking!" He exclaimed excitedly, and the room was in awe. Next, the Good Witch turned to the Scarecrow. "To the Scarecrow, I give you a brain: a real one, one of your own. You will be overflowing with intellect that is not known to any others." She took the philosophical knowledge in her hand, and broke the egg shaped container over his head. The audience gasped, as they saw a liquid pour out and get absorbed into the head. The Scarecrow suddenly went into a sort of scowl, and everyone was afraid that it had not worked. But he soon began speaking: "I have found the solution to where the precious rubies can be mined! I know of where they are in abundance, near the Sea!" Everyone gasped again. The Sea? It had never been found by anyone throughout the history of Oz, and now their leader knew where it was! Glinda motioned for silence once more. "These men deserve the gifts they have been given. Let us show them our great appreciation." She began clapping for them, which set off the whole room. At this point, dessert came out, and everyone dove into it.

Soon, the banquet was over. The guests were filing out, thanking Glinda for all that she had done and also congratulating her. Once everyone had gone, only the Tinman and the Scarecrow remained. They walked over to the door, and both shook her hand warmly. "Glinda the Good, you have done wonders for both of us tonight. We aren't quite sure how you can ever repay you…" Glinda curtseyed, "You both deserved it. I don't expect to be repaid. It was done out of need, and also out of the goodness of my heart." But the men protested. "No, we are forever in your debt. What you have done for us, and also for all of Oz, no words can describe." They both looked to each other. "Why don't you come to our palace? We can discuss plans for you. Glinda, you are needed by Oz. Your magic and intellect cannot be put to waste. Come three days from now, and we will talk." Her eyes were alight, she accepted, and bid them goodnight. She closed the door, and leaned against it, ecstatic. _This is going so much better than we had hoped Elphie! I'm within the inner circle now. Everything is working out. Luck is with us._

As she retired to bed, she thought about the strange thing that Yackle had said to her in the shop. Something reassured her that everything was going to be fine, that Yackle would not tell anyone anything that she knew. _Something is different about her. I can sense it. I just don't know exactly what it is…_Glinda settled into bed. _How did she know Elphie is back? Has she talked to Nanny? _She shook her head, slightly exasperated. _Of course not. No one has had any communication with the residents of Kiamo Ko since the alleged death of my friend. _Still puzzling, she drifted off into sleep. Through the night, she had dreams of Yackle and the Kumbric Witch. She also had dreams of things to come. But, when she awoke the next day, nothing was to be remembered…


	7. Auntie Witch

**Misunderstood**

Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of the characters involved with it, with the exception of the ones that I create.

A.N.: Just to clear things up, there will not be a Gelphie relationship or any kind of romance in this fan fic. I do not write slash, and I was not planning to in this story. I'm sorry if the romance thing disappoints any readers, but that is not the direction that I want to lead my story in, seeing as I would have to change the plot and eventual outcome. Thank you, in ahead of time, for being understanding. Read and Review please!

**Chapter 7: Auntie Witch**

Elphaba had been anxiously awaiting any kind of news about how Glinda was doing and what thing she had set into action. Anytime that a traveler was seen approaching Kiamo Ko, she would remind Liir and Nanny to ask about any new happenings in the Emerald City or any news about Glinda the Good. Quite often many of the travelers did not pay attention to the politics in Emerald City as much as they had (since their wonderful Wizard had taken leave), but occasionally one would have news. One young man reported that Glinda had made a surprise appearance at the opening of the Shiz University Memorial, and that the next day, had thrown a lavish banquet for the Tinman and the Scarecrow celebrating their victory over the Witch. Once Liir had passed this information on to Elphaba, she inwardly gloated. _Yes, yes! She's doing much better than I would have expected. _The only thing that she allowed herself to show was that she appreciated the fact that he had done what she had asked of him.

In her own private quarters, she allowed herself to show a bit more emotion than she had in front of her dysfunctional family. She pranced around the room for a little while and smiled and gloated over the small victory. She finally stopped herself once Chistery got scared away. Catching her breath and calming herself, she knew that she had to continue on with the plan. "Alright Elphaba, calm yourself. You aren't out of the woods yet. The progress has only begun, so shut up and get to work on the next part." Satisfied with her small speech to herself, she sat down at the desk in her room, grabbed a small apple, and picked up the Grimmerie.

The Grimmerie was the key to having all things work out. It had the essential information and spells needed to bring the administration to their knees. The Witch took a moment to savor that thought. _Bring the administration to their knees…What I didn't accomplish the first time around, now I have another chance. _She shook herself slightly and settled back into reality. With Glinda getting on the good side of the Scarecrow and Tinman, information would be given to them, information that was vital. Both Witches would soon know the inner workings of the government, the political aspirations and their strengths. But, they would also then know the weaknesses, loopholes that could be exploited, hidden mistakes and things of the sort that no one else knew about. The traveler had reported that the Good Witch had even gone so far as to give the Scarecrow and Tinman wondrous gifts: a real brain for the Scarecrow and a real heart for the Tinman. Elphaba had rejoiced once she heard this. _I always knew that Glinda wasn't as stupid as she let on. Clever girl. Now we (or at least she) can see the inner workings of their mind and heart._ Of course, if anyone had had this notion, no one had mentioned it, and had kept it completely to themselves. _Good, that's the way that it should be._ Although she was glad that no one had seemed to have that notion, she still felt uneasy about Glinda's safety. Almost like she was expecting something to happen_…stop thinking this way! You're reverting back to the time when you were in the resistance against the Wizard! Besides, all of Oz (minus Nanny, Liir, and Glinda) believes I'm dead. No one would be still coming after me, or people associated with me…_ She quickly stopped thinking about that subject. Her instincts told her that things were not as they seemed, but she did not want nor need to listen to those unsure inklings right at the moment. For now, all she needed to concentrate on was keeping her friend safe, as well as progressing with the overthrow.

Late into the night, Elphie sat reading and studying what was needed in the Grimmerie. She had almost completely translated and understood the overall meaning of the passage. She had long finished the apple that she had been nibbling on, and it was pitch black outside. No stars shone that night, and the moon had decided to hide its face. Dark clouds blanketed the sky and a bitter cold breeze was making itself known. All throughout the castle, not a sound of activity was to be heard, save for the occasional mutterings or short exclamations of the Witch. The only light to be seen within the castle was coming from her room. Since the day that she had come back to life, she had tightly shut up her window. She didn't care much for sunlight or other elements gaining passage into her room, and it also lent to the widely accepted fact that her family would be mourning and would likely want to keep her former living quarters to themselves. The dim light from the candles in her room streamed into the hallway, creating long and grotesque shadows that played on the floor and walls. Her eyes began to grow blurry and the words and phrases were running together. The Witch struggled to stay awake, but was failing. The brown eyes fluttered, desperately trying to stay open, but lost the fight very quickly. Her eyes closed, and her head lolled to the side, coming to rest heavily on her left shoulder.

Suddenly, she was years younger. The Kiamo Ko of days of old was all around her. Sarima and her sisters were sharing a rare, cheery conversation. The children were running about, laughing and playing with each other. Liir was lagging behind, and the little girl, Nor, was with him. No one seemed to notice her presence. She felt like a wraith in the shadows, waiting to be seen, but not calling attention to herself. As the boy and the small girl were passing by, the girl happened to look over to where Elphaba had remained somewhat hidden. She smiled widely, and let go of the boy's hand, walking over to where the tall, green woman was. She approached with a kind of respectful, somber attitude, and also a bit of wonder and fear. "Auntie Witch?"

Elphaba woke in a cold sweat, still hearing the girl's voice echoing in her head. She looked around the room to gain her bearings, to make sure that it was just a dream. Once she was certain that everything was as it was before she had fallen asleep, she rested her head back against the chair, still breathing heavily. How she hated dreams like that, constantly reminding her of mistakes made and tragedies that had occurred not so long ago. She regretted everyday the fact that she had not been able to even negotiate the release of the girl. She shuddered as unbidden images of torture filled her mind, desperately trying to block them out. She unconsciously mourned the fact that the being that the Wizard had shown her years ago had only been a shell, if nothing less, of the lively girl that it had once been. Unbidden tears sprang to her eyes, and when they streamed down her face left marks behind: a result of the burning sensation. _Nessa…Doctor Dillamond…Fiyero…Nor…_a list of her shortcomings and disasters filled her mind, leaving her reeling and drowning. In her despair, however, she became aware of a weak banging, coming from somewhere in her home. Trying to collect herself, she got up from her chair, wiped her eyes and face, and pulled on a large shirt and scarf. She wrapped the scarf around her face carefully, concealing her features and most of her skin color. She did not worry about wearing a hat, since it was very dark and the dark would help conceal her true identity. She sniffed, picked up a candle, and headed out the door.

As Elphaba started down the stairs, she composed herself as much as she could. The banging increased in volume as she grew nearer to the entryway, but was still weak. She marveled that she had even heard it at all. As Elphie arrived at the door, she pulled the scarf still tighter around her face and fixed the shirt to fit a bit better. She opened the door, and saw a small figure there, posed in mid-knock. As the Witch's eyes grew wide and an accidental gasp escaped her lips, the figure fell forward and was caught in the green woman's arms…

A.N.: Sorry it took so long for me to update. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Read and Review please!!!


	8. One Short Day

**Misunderstood**

Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of the characters involved with it, with the exception of the ones that I create.

A.N.: In response to gatermage's review…there is more to this than meets the eye. Keep that in mind ;) R&R please!

**Chapter 8: One Short Day**

The small figure was breathing very shallow, and each breath was a tremendous effort. Elphie quickly pulled it in and shut the door. She carried the small person over to the chair in front of the fireplace, and set them down. The Witch pulled off her scarf and extra shirt, and wrapped the figure up, trying to help them get warm. She pulled the chair closer to the fire, and hurried off to the kitchen. Once in the kitchen, she found ale that she had been saving for later and poured a generous amount into a large cup. Satisfied, she made her way back to the visitor.

Before approaching, Elphaba took stock of the situation. The small girl was sitting up now, rather than slouched over. She looked quite disheveled. Her short hair was all over the place, sticking up in some places and flattened in others. Her hands were filthy, and there were welts visible on her wrists and ankles. _Those are going to need some treatment…_the Witch cringed. The tattered clothes that the girl was wearing looked as if they were about to fall apart. Her face was filthy and cut up…some new scars were forming. The girl looked very emaciated…it was heartbreaking to see. Elphaba swallowed her discomfort and sorrow and walked over. "Nor?" The girl looked up at her, with vacant looking eyes. "Nor, it's me. Auntie Witch." At this, the girl smiled and recognition swept over her face. The Witch felt a bit of relief, _at least she knows and remembers me._ She kneeled at the side of the chair, and held the cup of ale up. "Are you thirsty? I got you some ale." The girl kept smiling and nodded slowly. She reached her hands out, and took the cup gratefully. She held it up to her mouth and drank deeply.

Elphaba kept kneeling at her side and watched her, endlessly surprised and thankful that the girl was no longer in captivity. Nor drank for a very long time, until she had her fill. She handed the cup back to the Witch, and smiled again. The woman smiled back as well. "Are you warmer now?" Nor nodded again, "May I have something to eat?" Elphie quickly jumped to her feet, "Of course you can. I'll just be a moment." She left the room, shaking her head on the way out. _How stupid of me, I should have thought of that in the first place!_ The green woman rummaged around until she found some leftover biscuits, which was all the food that they had. When she turned around to go back into the room, she was startled by the girl, who was standing at the door. "Auntie Witch, where is everyone?" The girl's gaze was unwavering, questioning. _Oh goodness I can't tell her everything that has happened just yet._ She met the girl's gaze, and said "Well, it is very late at night you know. Nanny is upstairs, most likely in a deep sleep. Liir is also upstairs, probably dreaming." The girl walked toward the Witch, "Where is Mama? Or Irji, or Manek?" The Witch started to grow nervous. _Not yet. You cannot tell her just yet._ "They aren't here right now, Nor." The girl seemed to accept it and merely shrugged her shoulders. Trying to settle her nerves, she handed the girl a few of the biscuits she had found. The girl took them, and ravenously devoured them. The ferocity of how she ate stunned Elphaba who quickly intervened "Nor! Nor, not so fast. You'll get sick to your stomach!" The girl disregarded her and continued on. "Alright fine don't listen to me. You're going to pay the consequences though." Elphaba eyed her carefully. Once Nor had finished, she looked up at the Witch, grabbed her hand, and led her into the entry room once again.

Elphaba was shocked. _What in the name of Oz has gotten into this girl?!_ She followed the girl simply because she didn't have any other reaction to the sudden assertiveness being displayed. Nor sat back down in the chair, and the Witch just stood there staring. "Auntie Witch, do you know what I have gone through to get here?" Scenes of years past passed through her mind rapidly. _Coming to Kiamo Ko for the first time, leaving to visit Nessa, leaving for the funeral, finding that Sarima and the rest of her family had been taken…meeting with the Wizard and seeing Nor broken…not being able to rescue her…_Elphaba shook herself out of her remembrance. "I know a bit of it. Not all." Nor nodded, "So then you must know some of what I had been subjected to…" She withdrew into herself. Long moments passed and Elphaba was growing a bit worried when the girl started talking again. "Although I wanted to get out of the dungeons to relieve myself of the pain, I also had other intentions. I had heard that you were gone, but it's clear that you're not. I needed to get here so that I could inform Nanny and Liir of what I had heard while kept away and warn them." Elphaba's brow furrowed as more was revealed. "Auntie, the Tinman and the Scarecrow intend to get rid of everyone involved with you. They don't want anyone to pick up where you left off. They intend to come here, to Kiamo Ko, and get rid of Nanny and Liir. I don't know exactly when, but they will act on it eventually."

This didn't surprise the Witch all too much. She had suspected that some sort of plot had been brewing since she had come back, and was already making plans for relocation. Nor wasn't done talking yet though: "Since that is out of the way now, I have some other news for you. I don't quite know how you'll think of it though. I'm sure that I don't know how to react to it." This piqued Elphie's interest somewhat. Nor saw the look on her face and continued on, satisfied. "It turns out that Resistance has not completely died out. In fact, new members are joining everyday." The woman was a bit disappointed. She had expected more, and was thinking so when Nor tapped her on the shoulder. "Did you hear what I said? I know some of the members." The girl had put extra emphasis on "know". "Someone you know too. A VERY close friend. You need to go to the Emerald City ASAP. He's waiting."


	9. For Good?

**Misunderstood**

Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of the characters involved with it, with the exception of the ones that I create.

A.N.: I'm sorry this was so long in coming! The next post will be up faster, I promise. Enjoy!

**Chapter 9: For Good?**

A small glimmer of hope arose in Elphie's heart. _"A VERY close friend. You need to go to the Emerald City ASAP. He's waiting." Could it be? Even after the whole Scarecrow fiasco, could Fiyero still be…_She shook her head visibly. She knew not to wish for things that were impossible. It would only end up wounding the heart. Nor was giving no other inclinations as to exactly who she was referring to. The girl seemed to be enjoying her mysterious secret, and was savoring the look on the Witch's face. "How soon can you leave?" Nor asked. "I'm not quite sure. Nanny needs to be taken care of, and so do Chistery and Liir…" Nor's face lit up. "Liir's here? Can I see him? Where is he?" Elphaba belatedly realized that Nor had not seen the boy since she had been taken away by the soldiers. She smiled softly and told her that he was in Irji's room. Although the girl was still very weak, she took off at a pace that surprised the green skinned woman. She did not follow her, instead stayed behind to think. Who could possibly be waiting for her to come? She wracked her mind, trying desperately to think of who she still knew well enough that they would wait for her. _Well, there is Boq…but he lives outside the city with Milla. Avaric saw me right after I killed Horrible Morrible. _She laughed a bit at the old nickname. _I highly doubt that he would actually remember me though. He's much too self absorbed. There is Fiyero…and I never did actually see his body. Only the copious amounts of blood…_she grimaced again. _Don't you dare start up with that again, Elphaba. It isn't worth the grief it brings you._ Nor and Liir came down the stairs, snapping her out of her jumbled thoughts. "Elphaba, did you see! Nor's back!" Liir looked as happy as he had ever been, and he had actually called the Witch by her name, a very rare event. Both Nor and Elphaba smiled, and Liir went racing off with her somewhere inside the castle. Elphie sat back, and decided to let herself daydream a bit about what would happen in the Emerald City.

The meeting with the Scarecrow and the Tinman had gone well. They had decided to let Glinda in to their inner circle, the circle of confidantes, and the ones who held the power. With her magic, and the combined talents of the Scarecrow and Tinman, they could make all of Oz a more stable, happy place. Or so they said. Although both individuals were all smiles, and full of reassurances and cheery words, Glinda felt a tense undercurrent, one that seemed sinister and deceitful. It gave her the chills just thinking about it afterward. During the meeting, she hadn't dared to read into what both…men (for lack of a better word) were thinking and feeling, because it might have alerted them to what she was able to do. Afterward, she scanned both of them. The Tinman was feeling somewhat hesitant and guilty, about what exactly she did not know. The Scarecrow, however, was busy planning something that had to do with Elphaba. He didn't know that she was still alive, that much she could glean, but it had to do with her friend nonetheless. _Why were both of them acting a little dodgy? Something is not right…_letting it go for the moment, she actually enjoyed sitting in her large room. It didn't make her feel empty anymore. Rather, it gave her room to think and feel. Her visit to Kiamo Ko was coming up soon, and she was very excited about it. _I can't wait to see Elphie again! She will be so happy with how well I've done._ Glinda smiled a bit, feeling like a schoolgirl again, plotting something or other with her friend. If things kept going at this pace, her friend would soon be able to come and hide with her. This made Glinda all the happier. Shenshen came into the room unannounced. The blonde was slightly surprised. Normally she would knock and wait for Glinda to beckon her inside. "Excuse the interruption, miss, but I have an urgent message for you." An urgent message? Her heart quickened as she thought that Elphie might be in trouble. Shenshen came over to her vanity, and laid down an unmarked envelope, then promptly left. The blonde began to get worried, and quickly crossed the room and ripped it open. She read it aloud to herself, speeding through the words. "Miss Glinda of the Arduenna Clan of the Uplands, wife of Sir Chuffrey, your presence is requested for an emergency meeting tomorrow at the palace. You are vital to this gathering, and this must be kept secret from all others. RSVP quickly, as your answer is expected within the hour." A sigh of relief escaped her lips. _Oh, thank the Unnamed God that Elphaba is fine._ She quickly wrote her response, and sent it off with Shenshen. Hopefully this had nothing more to do with her friend. If it did, well, she knew how to lie and scheme well enough.

Elphaba made arrangements with Liir and Nor so that she could leave soon. Liir was to take care of Nanny, as he had grown accustomed to, and also to help Nor out when she needed it. Nor was to help Liir when needed, and was to make sure Chistery was watered and fed. Once all the details were in place, Elphaba went about packing all that she needed. It wasn't much really. Some black frocks and gowns, scarves, cloaks, her hat, food, but one thing she was going to leave behind was the Grimmerie. There was no way to endanger the vital magic contained within. Even though the Wizard was gone, there were still power hungry people and individuals scattered throughout Oz that would do nearly anything to get their hands on the precious book. She was to leave when the sun went down, only traveling by night, and under cloud cover. This would take about a week to reach the Emerald City, but it was the safest way possible. While she was there, she reasoned, she might as well drop in on Glinda, give her a nice surprise. She wouldn't stay long, so that she wouldn't be found out and also so that Glinda wouldn't be unnecessarily endangered, but she would still drop in on her. Once everything was ready, she bid goodbye to Nor, Liir, Chistery, and Nanny, and set off. She rose high up into the crisp air, loving the feeling of the wind flying through her hair. Anxious to get there in as little time as possible, she sped up, and flew like a dark spec in the night.

The next day, Glinda hurried over to the palace. She arrived by bubble and came in at the back entrance, as directed. When walking in, she was met by two guards of the Gale Force, and got a bit uncomfortable. _I thought that had been disbanded on the leave of the Wizard…_ They led her into a small room, where there were no windows and only one door out, the door through which she entered. The Tinman and Scarecrow were waiting for her. They both smiled, and greeted her. "Thank you for arriving so quickly. We have an important issue to discuss." Glinda nodded, and noted that the guards closed the door and stood closely behind her. The Tinman began, "Though you are known officially as Glinda the Good, we know of your past." Confusion and a bit of fear passed through her entire body. He continued on, "We know that you were good friends with the dearly departed Witch of the West, and that both of you came here while attending Shiz University for an audience with the former Wizard." Glinda assented to nothing and tried to keep a strait face. "We also know that after she was known as the Wicked Witch, that you maintained your friendship with her to the very end." The blonde was now growing worried, and her face revealed so. The Scarecrow laughed a hollow laugh. "You didn't think that we knew this? We know all Glinda, every last thing about you." She began to panic, and turned around to leave the room. The guards blocked her with their spears. She was trapped and she knew it. "Please, she is dead now. I have no alliance with her, or anyone associated with her. I only wish to make Oz a better place…" Her voice trailed off weakly. Both men smiled grimly. "You say that you have no alliance with her or anyone associated with her? Dear girl, you are completely wrong." "How can I be wrong? I am not-" The Tinman interrupted her again. "You, my dear, were associated with her. I'm sorry, but we can have no chance of insurrection among us." Glinda shook her head, speechless and terrified. "No, you can't…" The men made to advance on her, which backed her up into the guards. One of the guards placed a hand covered with a handkerchief over her mouth and nose. The other held her tightly as she struggled, eyes widening in terror. She tried not to breathe, but had to eventually. The smell was overpowering, and made her very tired. She fought to keep her eyes open, still struggling and trying frantically to get away. The Tinman and Scarecrow stayed where they were, both smiling coldly at her. _Elphie…_her eyes fluttered, and she barely heard one of the men say "Fresh dreams, Glinda." Her eyes closed completely, and she fell, a dead weight, into the waiting arms of the guards.


	10. Over the Rainbow

**Misunderstood**

Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of the characters involved with it, with the exception of the ones that I create.

A.N.: If the chapter name doesn't make sense to you, let me explain. Different people associated with different colors will be in this chapter, so this is alluding to them and also to the fact that all of this is happening in Oz. Sorry if you don't like the way that this chapter uses Elphaba and the person waiting for her. But, I feel that this is best in the interest of preserving the original story line. Not to worry, he will be back again in the next chapter. Please, please, please R&R (when more readers review it really does help me think and write faster, as I am inspired) and enjoy!

**Chapter 10: Over the Rainbow**

It took Elphaba nearly a week to reach the outskirts of the Emerald City. Pretty good time was made, after all. She arrived shortly after ten at night. No one was bustling around, and the entire city was quiet. _Kind of strange, considering this is the capital…shouldn't there be some form of nightlife? Like the Philosophy Club? _She was a bit perplexed at this and cautiously flew high above the city, covered by low clouds. As she was looking down at the city, she was hit with a wave of realization. _Nor never told me where I was supposed to meet…whoever it is. _She silently cursed at herself. _How am I supposed to find them now?! It's not like I can just go waltzing in._ She flew about irritably, trying to think about where she could touch down before light came up. _This probably is not the best idea…_with that in mind, she flew off toward one of her old hideouts. Not the one that she and Fiyero had shared, of course. That would be idiotic, and would cause so many repressed memories to flood her mind. No…she went to one that was in the outskirts, by some old slums that Quadlings had set up years ago. She knew that it was the place where she would least likely be found, as no one in their right mind would want to venture into the slums, or anywhere near the Quadlings themselves. They (the Quadlings) had never paid her any mind anyway. They had looked the other way, or had otherwise acted as though she did not exist. _Yes, that's the perfect place to go. _

She hurried over, since the cloud cover was starting to lift, and quickly found her old hideaway. She touched down softly, taking great care not to wake anyone with a loud landing, and walked inside. It was as she had left it, never had gotten cleaned up after she had to leave it in a hurry. Cobwebs were everywhere, and the place looked like it needed a good cleaning, but the green woman decided that she could settle in for a little while (if needed). As she was looking around, she realized that there was a shadow behind her, one that was somewhat blending in with the natural shadows, but stood out a bit. Fear and a bit of anger coursed through her veins, and she quickly came up with a plan. Acting as though she had seen nor noticed anything, she kept looking about the small dwelling. She heard the person rustling behind her, and she quickly turned about and swiveled so that she had her broomstick across the throat of the person, threatening to choke them. She seethed silently for a moment, then quietly said "I don't care who you are. I don't care what you're doing here. If you do not leave here within the next minute you will be very sorry indeed." To show that she truly meant what she said, she pulled the broomstick more firmly against their throat. The person started choking, and made signs for her to let go. She relented a bit, but not completely. It was enough for the person to hoarsely whisper, "Elphie…wait just a second. Please. I mean no harm." She was slightly shocked. She had not expected him to know her. She looked over at his arms and saw that they were thrown up in surrender. They were a dark, sort of ochre color. She took the broomstick away and held it limply at her side. She felt as though she had been punched in the stomach. Still holding up his hands, he turned around slowly, so he wouldn't startle her. It wasn't enough, as Elphaba gasped loudly and felt her knees grow weak when he was turned around.

His face and neck were covered with scars (not completely), and there was a trail of blue diamonds leading down his neck. A small sob escaped her lips, as he fully faced her. He looked older; there were more wrinkles around his eyes, and on his forehead. His eyes were dull with a deep despair, but were instantly replaced with a joy that outshone everything else. He didn't say anything; he just slowly approached her, drinking in her expressions and emotions flashing across her suddenly open face. She was fighting to keep everything under wraps, shaking her head, trying to will away what she felt. He didn't stop, just kept getting closer and closer. Finally, everything overtook her. Tears started pouring out of her eyes, and she still kept shaking her head, not able to directly look at him. She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling very scared and vulnerable. He was right in front of her, looking down at her slightly. He reached a hand up (he had dropped both of them to his sides when she saw who he was), and went to lightly touch her cheek. His eyes were hypnotic, drawing hers to his, and he conveyed so many things to her just through locking eyes. He brushed his fingers across her cheek, along her high cheek bones. "Fae," he said, not breaking his touch. At this, she completely broke down. She had no idea what to do. Her lover, Fiyero was standing right in front of her, calling her name, touching her. _How can this be…my mind must be fooling me…he's dead. I saw the blood, everything…_her mind was swirling with so many thoughts that she lost touch with reality. Memories flooded her, thoughts, feelings no longer threatening to overwhelm, put her into overload. Lowering her head, tears streaming down and burning her face, she broke away from him, breaking the touch that she had so craved, racing away from the man she had loved. "Elphaba!" He cried out after her, throwing his arm up and chasing her to the door. She got on her broom, kicked off, and went flying high, high up into the night, becoming no more than a black speck in the sky…

Glinda woke up, feeling sore all over, and groaning. She could not remember what had happened to her, what made her feel this way, or how long she had been out. _Dear Lurline!_ Her head was killing her: she felt as though she had the hangover of all hangovers. But from what she remembered, she had not consumed any alcohol copiously as of late. She tried to sit up, but found that her arms would not support her. Her legs wouldn't either, and they felt oh so heavy. It took all over her strength to roll herself onto her side. More groaning ensued, and it was certainly heartfelt. As she lay on her side, trying to get her breath, her hazy memory started to return to her. She had been summoned to the Palace by the Scarecrow and the Tinman. When she had gotten there, guards from the Gale Force, which she had thought to be disbanded, had ushered her into that small room without windows and only with the one door. And then…well then she had ended up here, wherever here was. A bit of feeling was returning to her arms. The blonde found that she was able to start rubbing them to get the circulation going again. Her hands were cold but soon started to warm up. She looked about her surroundings while she was lying down, moving only her eyes, as she found that her head and neck were extremely sore. She was in a small room, not unlike the room that the Tinman and Scarecrow had first taken her. Although, the walls looked to be padded (most likely sound proof), and there were neither windows nor doors that she could see. She was trapped, plain and simple, and she had walked right into it. _How could I miss it? What else would they be planning about Elphie? It's not like they could desecrate her body or anything. Of course they would want to get rid of all that had to do with her. Who better to start with than me? Although this could turn out to be an unwise ploy on their part. I am, after all, Glinda the Good, and the Ozians have been looking to me for strength and support. Hmm…this will be interesting to watch. Hopefully I can work this to my advantage. _Seeing that there was nothing else to do but sit around, she made up her mind to have the basis of a plan before she fell asleep again. She worked up the strength and courage to prop herself up on her arms, to sit herself up.

She dragged herself over to one of the walls and used it to prop herself up. This took the pretty, but disheveled blonde nearly half an hour, but she finally got it done. Sitting there to catch her breath, she felt herself growing drowsy very quickly and fought it. The room went dark in the space of a moment and stayed that way for a bit. Glinda grew wary, but could not hear or see anything. When the light returned to the room, there was a plate with small rations and a small cup of what was presumed to be water. Glinda took it and ate it quickly, wishing that she had been given more. Her eyelids grew heavy. A few moments later, she lost the battle and fell into a very deep sleep. Glinda the Good would not wake again for a very long time…

The Wicked Witch flew up, up, and up. The air up here hardly moved, and it was very cold. The air was thin and she had to work for her breaths. She could go no higher, so she just sat there, clinging to the small stick below her. Her mind was still spinning, overloaded, threatening to come undone. The Witch realized this, and started some relaxation exercises. Soon, her mind began to slow itself, her heartbeat returned to normal, and she grew less tense. When she felt she was calm enough, she reflected on what had happened. Her reaction was reasonable enough, she figured. She had seen how Glinda had reacted when they had first met face to face after the Dorothy fiasco. Still, she felt uneasy about the whole thing. _Shouldn't have others had some idea that he was back? Shouldn't have word gotten to Glinda? Unless he was underground…_Nothing more would come to her mind but thoughts like these. She did not reflect on the way that he talked to her, or how he touched her. These thoughts would most likely drive her over the edge again, and she wanted and needed to have a clear mind. The green woman did feel bad about leaving so impulsively without saying anything to him, much less responding to him. _How do I even know if I'm going to see him again?_ Another missed chance at reconciliation and more happiness; another failure and mistake. _I can't take much more of this kind of drama. It is wearing on my…body and mind. _The sun was starting to rise. It was a lovely morning, most unbefitting for the current circumstances. Having nowhere else to go, she turned around and headed back to the small hideout for the day.

A.N.: I hope that this was a good chapter to read. I worked very hard on it, and I like the way that it turned out. If you liked it or have any constructive criticism, please do say so.


	11. Mistaken Love

**Misunderstood**

Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of the characters involved with it, with the exception of the ones that I create.

A.N.: Sorry this is so long in coming. I had some complications with getting seriously ill and stuff so I wasn't able to even think of this. I'm sorry it's kinda short, I still have to get back into the swing of things. Enjoy!

**Chapter 11: Mistaken Love**

When Elphaba returned to the small hideout, Fiyero was out front, pacing. "Elphaba!" He came running over. She dismounted her broom and walked over to him. When he neared, he was a bit more cautious. _Well at least he's not coming flying at me._ "Elphaba I was so worried about you and I didn't know where you had gone or why and I'm babbling now aren't I…" Fiyero came to a stop as he saw her slightly amused look. "Look Fiyero I just had to clear my head. Everything came at me so fast and I couldn't deal with it. You know how I am." He nodded in assent and smiled. Oh he knew alright. He remembered how when he had first came back into contact with her, in the Emerald City, all those years ago. She had fled him even then, afraid of what would happen. He waved his hand at her, beckoning her in. She followed in after him, her broom dragging in the dust.

"I got some food while you were away. Look: bread, cheese, and a bit of ale." The table was small and set, and Elphaba was grateful for it. She sat on one side and he sat on the other. It was quiet while they ate, only the sounds of chewing and swallowing audible. It was slightly uncomfortable too. Both had things on their minds that needed to come out, but both were too wary to bring them up. Finally, she broke the silence, "So…how did you find out I'm still alive? I mean, only Nanny, Liir, Glinda, and Nor know about it so far." He finished chewing his bread and swallowed. "Well, when Nor found me, she told me that she had heard rumors of your death, but she didn't believe them. She said that you were too tenacious to die." They both chuckled at this. "Anyway, Nor also told me that she had also heard rumors that you had some how thwarted your murder, and that she was going to travel up to Kiamo Ko to see if anything was true. She said to me before she left to come and wait here and that if she found you that you would probably come to this area of town, so I was to wait for two months."

There was nothing for Elphaba to say. The words hung in the air, seemingly light, yet very heavy. "Fiyero…how long…why didn't you…" she trailed off, looking down at her very green hands. She heard him shuffle his feet around and clear his throat several times. He tried to speak up a few times, but he failed. She was getting up to go when suddenly he began to speak. "You have to understand that I love you and always have and will. I wasn't able to move for the longest time Elphaba. I know that you saw all the blood and gore around the old mill. It took me a very long time to recover. You have to understand that I was also in prison, under the watch of the Gale Force. The only time that I was released, if you even want to call it that, was when they thought that I was of no further use to them and I had died. I was in very, very bad shape Elphaba. The people who took me in were actually rebel Animals, for your cause. They took me in, fed me, and nursed me back to health. By the time I was well enough to get up and move around, to travel, I had heard about your death, and Dorothy had already come back to the Emerald City. I was heartbroken. I couldn't stand to go back to Kiamo Ko and relive everything."

Through all of this she had stood silently. She refused to acknowledge anything, lest all the pain, suffering, and emotion escape her. Although she tried, she began to silently cry, the tears leaving burn marks as they trailed down her fragile skin. _He still loves me. But do I love him? All this time he was trying to get better, so he could get back to me, and the love that we shared._ The tears came harder and faster. _Do I love him, after everything that I went through with Sarima and the rest of his family? After what I know now do I love him? Can I ever love him again?_ _After all the torment and stress, the emotions and emptiness…_she looked carefully at his face and he looked carefully back at her. He drew near to her, and caressed her arms. Tears fell onto his blemished skin, and tarnished hers as well. He rubbed her arms gently and wiped away her tears. Fiyero cupped Fae's face in his hands, the face that he had longed to see for so many years. Their lips touched, but it was only joyful for one of them. _I don't love him in the way I used to. _She broke away. "I'm sorry Fiyero. I can't." His eyes grew very sad, but he nodded and let her go.

They sat across from each other, both silent. Fiyero cleared his throat and she looked up. "So. Um, what do you plan to do now?" Without really thinking she replied, "Well, I was thinking that I could go and find Glinda. Get updated on how things are going and such." Fiyero looked a bit happier and said, "Ok, I'm coming with you. We should go in the next few days, just to be safe." She nodded and softly said, "Ok".

That night, as they were lying on their separate cots, she laid thinking of what had happened. She touched her lips and could still feel his touching hers. It pained her to no end that she no longer felt the same about him. _I'm sorry Fiyero. I wish things could be different for the both of us. _The night went on to no end, and it took her a long time to finally drift of to sleep.


	12. Dear Old Shiz

**Misunderstood**

Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of the characters involved with it, with the exception of the ones that I create.

**Chapter 12: Dear Old Shiz**

The next morning when Elphaba awoke, Fiyero was gone. Thinking nothing of it, she got up and looked around for some breakfast. Finding none, she grew slightly agitated and anxious. Five minutes later, Fiyero walked through the door.

"Where were you? Did you get any food? I'm starving." Elphaba immediately asked him.

"Yes, sorry I didn't want to wake you this morning when I set off. You were in a pretty deep sleep." He said this with a grin.

Usually she didn't sleep very well, so this is why that comment was made. She punched him lightly in the arm. He brought a bit of juice, bread, some ham, and a little bit of fruit. They both sat quietly, enjoying their small but enjoyable breakfast. When it was done, Elphaba decided to get to the more important things at hand.

"So I was thinking about the visit that I'm going to be making to Glinda. I can't exactly be waltzing in there glowing so phosphorescently. Do you think that you could procure some makeup for me?"

"Elphaba I've never seen this side of you before."

"What are you talking about Fiyero?"

"I can't believe how vain you're being. You've been Glindafied!"

This only garnered him another hit.

"Oh, alright. I'll see what I can do. I'll get something so that you'll just look dark. That way, you can walk around in broad daylight and you won't be all that noticeable."

She nodded her thanks and sent him on his way. As soon as he was gone, she turned to look around at the small surroundings. It was a small kind of hut, with two cots, a tiny table, big enough only for two. There were also two small wardrobes, if one wanted to call them that, and one looking glass. She was suddenly startled by something jumping onto her shoulder.

"What in the name of Oz!"

She threw it off and started chanting a spell when she looked closer and recognized it.

"Malky? Oh goodness it is you!"

She picked up the small white cat and hugged it tightly. It hissed at her, never remembering this side of Elphaba. She let go of it and was just content to let it sit next to her on her small but cozy cot. Had Fiyero found the cat she wondered? Or was the cat really her familiar and had found her? She decided that with the current circumstances, that the latter was most likely more probable. _Am I really a Witch now? I was called it before and I called myself it, but am I really one, through and through. So many things I wonder these days. I wonder how things are going with Glinda. I hope all is well. It will be a nice surprise to see her._ She grinned when she thought of the expression that her best friend would have when she would see her. Elphie got back up and started pacing around again. _I hope Fiyero gets back soon. I want to get out, feel the sun on my skin, walk around freely, and talk with out feeling inhibited, if only for a little while. It will be nice to get out and see Glinda. _Malky followed right behind her, sometimes circling between her ankles. It made her laugh out loud.

"What are you laughing at?"

Fiyero was leaning on the doorframe with a paper bag in his hand. Elphaba slightly blushed, embarrassed at having been caught at having fun with a cat.

"I got you the makeup. I can help you put it on if you-"

"No, no it's ok. I can do it by myself. It will only take me a bit of time and then we'll be ready to leave."

She went over to the looking glass. By the time she was done applying it, she looked completely different. Her skin was a lovely dark color, and her brown eyes accented it beautifully. She felt normal for the first time in her life. They set out, and for the first time no one stared at her. She was grinning the entire time on the way over to the Chuffrey estate that Glinda had shared with her late husband, Sir Chuffrey. _For the first time, no one is making any comments about me. No one is staring at me. I'm completely normal. I'm loving this!_

At the front gate, she asked that to be announced as a long time friend from Shiz. The guard led her in to a pompously decorated front room, and Shenshen came out to greet her.

"I'm sorry Miss, but Miss Glinda is not in today."

This puzzled Elphaba a little.

"Well, do you know when she will be back in? It is extremely urgent that I see her."

Shenshen's face fell.

"No miss. I'm afraid that Miss Glinda has been missing for quite some time now. We have not been able to locate her, and a search will be under way shortly. Until then, please be very patient with us. Thank you and good day."

With that, Elphaba was ushered back outside, where Fiyero stood waiting.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

Elphaba's face had contorted into one filled with grief and fury and worry.

"Glinda's gone missing. I know just who took her. I have to find her, and fast. I have to before they do anything to her. Oh this is all because of me!"

Fiyero shook her a bit to get her back to her senses. He did this until her eyes cleared significantly.

"Fiyero I have to find her. This cannot go on. I will find her. Come with me. Starting tonight, we are going to look, find, and break Glinda out of what ever hell she is in right now."

With that, Elphaba took off storming down the street, back down to their hut that they shared.

A.N.: Sorry this was so short! I have a lot of work to do…because I got cast as Elphaba in a rendition of Wicked that my acting class is doing! Yay! So I'm sorry if these are shorter and take longer to put up. This chapter name refers to when Elphaba says she is a dear friend from Shiz. Enjoy!


	13. Two Best Friends

**Misunderstood**

Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of the characters involved with it, with the exception of the ones that I create.

**Chapter 13: Two Best Friends**

Glinda the Good never fully regained her strength. Day after day, she would wake up still feeling very weak and tired. The room itself never changed. As far as she could tell, she was also kept in the same place, probably for security reasons and to keep her confused. She had a feeling that they were drugging her to keep her as weak as possible, but she couldn't be sure. _Oh, if only I had actually started that workout regimen like I had said that I would. _Now was not the time to be worrying about that though. Everyday passed by, and she still couldn't get up and move around the small room. She didn't know how many days, hours, or minutes were passing by. _Oh, Elphie, I wish you were here…_

"Elphaba, what is it exactly that you expect to do? You don't know where they're holding her, or even if they are holding her!"

Fiyero was jogging to keep up with the lanky green woman's long stride. She was walking so fast that it was taking quite an effort to keep up with her. She didn't answer and kept walking on. By now, they were back to the small shack that they were sharing, so it didn't matter so much that he had said her real name out loud. She continued walking quickly inside, and accidentally scared Malky out of the way.

"Elphaba!"

Finally she stopped.

"Fiyero, I know that they have Glinda. She doesn't just randomly disappear for long periods of time. I may do that, but Glinda is a public figure. She enjoys the attention, and moreover, she needs it."

"Ok well you have a point there, but do you even know where she is? If the Gale Force did take her, they would take careful precautions to make sure that she would be in a place that no one would know where she was."

Elphaba got back on her feet and got her broom as well as a cloak.

"Fiyero, when I was in the resistance movement against the Wizard, I was taught more than a few things about the Gale Force and the things that they do. That was why I tried so hard to get them away from Kiamo Ko and from the rest of your family. I know their tactics and their hiding places. I have a very good feeling that they are actually using one of our old meeting places to hold her right now as a matter of fact."

"Oh you do, do you?"

She pulled on her cloak and pulled him out the door with her.

"Yes I do. You remember the old mill?"

He nodded.

"Underneath there was a meeting room. There was only one trap door to enter it, and it was from the top of the room. It was heavily concealed. The room was painted white. There were no other doors to enter it, it was sound proof, and of course, there were not windows. We met there only a few times, and sometimes we would take captives there to interrogate them. I'm sure that after the fiasco with you and me, that they discovered it and started to use it. I'm sure that they're holding Glinda there, and we have to get there before they can do anything really bad to her."

She mounted her broom and he climbed on behind her. She kicked off, and they set off in the direction that she had never ever wanted to travel again.

"Wake up Glinda. It's time."

The gruff voice shook her out of her light sleep. She hadn't even known that anyone had entered into the room. She lifted her head off her shoulder, and tried to shake off some of the grogginess that she felt.

"Time? What time is it? Time for what?"

Her voice sounded like it was reverberating, and very far away. Her stomach was churning and it was hurting her very bad. She also had a horrible migraine.

"You've had a fairly easy time here so far. Eating and drinking your fill. Now we want to ask you some things."

This was like a bad nightmare that wouldn't go away. She blacked out. When she came to, the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman were in the room, as well as two scary looking Gale Force guards.

"Hello Glinda. Feeling well?"

Glinda suddenly felt very, very sick. She leaned over and threw up. Both creatures laughed at her.

"Aw, were the drugs too much for you today? Well expect it only to get worse. That is, unless you cooperate. Fully."

She coughed a bit and grimaced. The normally bubbly blonde wiped her mouth off and tried to sit up straighter to show defiance, but was too weak.

"Is the Wicked Witch of the West dead or alive?"

This came from the Scarecrow. Glinda glared at both of them, and answered quickly, despite the pain in her head.

"You fools you know she's dead."

The Scarecrow smiled and one of the Gale Force guards walked forward. He stood in front of her and slapped her across the face. A hand print appeared on her light skin and she bit her lip to keep from crying out.

"Naughty girl. Answer our questions respectfully and you will be treated as such. Now let's try this again, shall we? Is the Wicked Witch of the West dead or alive?"

She mustered all her strength and spit in his eye.

"Imbeciles, her name was Elphaba Thropp and she was killed by the girl Dorothy."

The Gale Force guard picked her up, slammed her against the wall, punched her in the stomach, and punched her in the face. This time tears poured out of her eyes.

"You will not talk to the Emperors of Oz that way ever again on pain of death. Now answer them: IS SHE DEAD OR ALIVE?!"

Before she could answer a pounding on the ceiling was heard throughout the room.

"What in the name of-"

The Tin Woodman was cut off by Fiyero landing on top of him. He was instantly knocked out. A gale suddenly filled the room, and the guards were forced against the walls, terrified. They soon passed out from fear. Glinda had also passed out and slumped to the floor. Now only the Scarecrow was left.

"You! I thought that you were dead!"

"Yeah, well, you don't exactly have a brain, do you?"

Fiyero slammed him against the wall and held him there while Elphaba came into the room.

"I knew it! I knew that the girl couldn't have gotten rid of you!"

Elphaba was too furious to say anything for the moment. Her face turned the darkest shade of green that Fiyero had seen yet. When she spoke, it was barely above a whisper.

"_How dare you. First you come into my life and try to ruin my family's. Then, you presume that you can proclaim yourself the Emperor of Oz. But Lurline have mercy on you for laying a finger on my best friend. She is the most pure person that you will ever meet, and you have tried to ruin her. Instead, let me bring ruin to you."_

Another wind filled the room. The Scarecrow's eyes were wide with fear, and so were Fiyero's.

"Avhen aven aty athey eleka nahmen sorika noray!"

The Scarecrow flew up in the air, in a mimic of a twister, and then landed on the ground, only a pile of straw. Fiyero looked at the Witch, horrified.

"No time for anything now Fiyero. Get Glinda and let's go."

She grabbed the broom and helped hoist Glinda up. Fiyero got her onto the broom, and they lit out of there like the place was on fire.

Intermission

A.N.: I hope that this chapter was good for you guys! I worked really hard on it. This is the intermission. I won't be putting up any updates until after the play, which will be put on in June. Thank you and enjoy!


	14. An Unlikely School Reunion

**Misunderstood**

Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any of the characters involved with it, with the exception of the ones that I create.

**Chapter 14: An Unlikely School Reunion**

Elphaba flew hard and fast, never relenting. The strange trio was flying around the Emerald City for what seemed like hours, until Fiyero finally prompted the agitated witch to head back to their hidden headquarters.

"Are you out of your mind?! This isn't a child's game of hide-and-go-seek, where if you're found, you're it. We get found by the Gale Force or by anyone in favor if the regime that the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman are running, and not only will we be killed, but also tortured, questioned, and starved!"

This came as if spat out by the green skinned woman. Fiyero shook his head.

"Elphaba, no one is going to find us. We've been flying so sporadically that not even the best tracker would be able to keep up."

As these words were coming out if his mouth, Elphie was hit with a flood of repressed memories. Flashes of the old mill, Malky, and the secret affair all swarmed her mind. The memories kept piling up, one on top of the other when she came to the one that was most dreaded…

_Elphaba walked into the mill, anxiously waiting to see her lover. It would be a great sense of relief to see his face after horribly botching the attempt on Madame Morrible's life. Wait…she could tell that something was out of place. There was a sense of foreboding as she walked up the remaining stairs. A slightly metallic smell grew noticeably stronger as she neared the door._

"_What in the name of…"_

_The door was slightly ajar. Upon entering the room, the revolutionist was met with a gruesome sight. Blood. Everywhere. The entire room was stained and splattered with dark red: the floor, the walls, the bed…_

Tears welled up in Elphie's eyes while she ground her teeth together and held tightly onto the broom as if it was the only secure thing in the land of Oz. Wave after wave of emotion was drowning her as she fought to keep it from erupting. Dark thunder clouds gathered on the horizon and quickly covered the vast expanse of the sky. _No more. No more of this nonsense that was then. Fiyero is right behind me, alive and well, with Glinda on the backside of my broom. We're safe. We're all safe now…_The moment that Elphaba shut her eyes, a bolt of lightening struck the end of the broom. Thunder claps were heard all around and a deadly downpour started.

"Elphaba, we need to get out of the rain!"

Fiyero began shouting in desperation. The blonde witch began stirring and nearly fell off of their high perch.

"Elphaba, now!"

The rain was hitting her face, arms, and hands, but she could feel no pain. Almost in a daze, she turned the broom around and raced back to their hiding place.

* * *

Back at the palace in the Emerald City, the Tin Woodman was just arriving at Glinda the Good's personal chambers. Walking through with an air of supremacy, he took various things that belonged to her and her estate. First of all, he took her wand, the one that she never left behind whenever she went out, even though she had no real use for it other than to please her absurd vanity. Second, he took one of her hairbrushes, one that she frequently used. Third and lastly, he took a journal that she had kept in vain while attending Shiz University. _The people of Oz will be none the wiser after the spell on ShenShen has been completed. She will be transformed from lowly secretary to Glinda the Good herself with these small trinkets of hers. Of course, the spell will need to be completed in a timely fashion, but all will follow after that. _Walking back outside to his carriage, he called ShenShen to accompany him back to his mansion. _As for the Scarecrow, well all I will need to say is that the duties of running such a complex and wonderful land such as Oz has been too much of a burden and that he has chosen to retire to Quox. _Silently chuckling at his brilliant plan, he helped Glinda's former friend and employee into the carriage. _As for Elphaba and Fiyero, I'll find someway to smoke them out. Surely she must have another weakness. Ah! Yes, that's the answer to my question…._The Tin Woodman sat smugly and made small talk on the way to his mansion, all the while scheming for the Witch's imminent demise.

* * *

Landing safely on the small space in front of their door, Elphaba helped Fiyero carry in their friend. She still hadn't awoken and this was very troubling both to the Winkie prince and to the Wicked Witch.

"Place her on my cot. It's more comfortable than yours. I'll go get some smelling salts and some herbs. Make sure that her legs are elevated and that you have some water around if she comes to before I return."

Elphaba hurried out the door with the material of her black skirt swishing behind her. Fiyero sat down next to the small bed and looked over the blonde witch's body. He could see a myriad of scrapes, cuts, and bruises, but none were too bad. She had a split in the middle of her lower lip and a black eye that was just forming. Gingerly feeling her head, he could tell that she had slammed in on something and that she most likely would wake up with a concussion. Heavy footsteps told him that Elphaba had indeed hurried back.

"I got most of what we needed. I also got a bit of ale for her, so that when she wakes up it will help to dull the pain."

Elphaba sat on the other side of the cot and looked sadly at her best friend. Fiyero had never seen her looking so concerned before, and quite frankly, it touched his heart. She lightly stroked Glinda's face while quietly calling out her name and waving the smelling salts above her nose. After a few moments, the blonde's eyes fluttered open.

"Hi Glinda."

She started after this and tried to get up, but Elphaba lightly restrained her.

"Shhh don't say anything and don't move. You're safe now. Fiyero and I found you and rescued you. Now you can rest."

Glinda gently settled back down after taking a few swigs of water.

"Elphie? I know this sounds bizarre, especially since I'm a grown woman now and-"

"Glinda, you're babbling right now. You can ask me anything, what is it?"

"Well…this is silly…but can you lay next to me? I'm scared to sleep by myself."

Elphaba got up and laid next to her. Glinda tried to talk, but Fiyero shook his head and told her to get some rest. Night had fallen and it was getting to be quite late.

Before he went to bed, Fiyero looked over at Elphaba's cot. Although Elphaba had stayed far to her side of the bed, Glinda had drifted over and was now sleeping contentedly. He smiled and put out the small lantern.

This touching scene was witnessed by a mysterious outsider watching the entire thing and taking note of the location in which it happened….

A.N.: Hey guys! I'm so dreadfully sorry that this has taken so long! I'm glad that I was able to put it up, FINALLY. Ha-ha, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, the next will be coming a lot sooner than this last one! Please give me some feedback! Thanks a bundle


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